Sir Elton John: I will buy home in Ukraine to adopt Lev

Parental pledge: Sir Elton John has promised to send regular financial support to Lev

Sir Elton John's civil partner David Furnish revealed today they will still become "fathers" to a baby they tried to adopt even though their application was refused.

The couple tried in September to become the legal guardians of Lev, an HIV-positive 17-month-old boy they met while they were touring an orphanage in Ukraine.

The eastern European nation's government said that, at 62, Sir Elton was too old to adopt. Under the country's rules, there must be no more than 45 years difference in age between adoptive parents and the child. Ukraine family minister Yuriy Pavlenko also declared that gay couples were judged not suitable to adopt children under his country's law.

But, in an interview with Closer magazine, Mr Furnish, 47, said they were buying a home for Lev in his native country and have pledged to send regular financial help.

The couple will also travel to the former Soviet country throughout the year to spend time looking after him. Mr Furnish said: "We are going to find a home for those boys in the Ukraine.

"We will get them a home as it would be a long uphill battle to bring them over here."